Scandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter

Stornubben, 2174m, is a conical mountain with few features other than a huge deep corrie on its southern side. It is a northern high point on the ridge between Veodalen and Sjødalen. It is also one of the easiest and most gentle of the 2000 metre mountains in Scandinavia to ascend in either summer or winter.

The Route from Hindseter Lodge

22km 1320m 6-8hrs

From Hindseter there is a path in the summer and a marked ski trail in the winter which leads up through the woods. This path starts just to the south of where the Stor-Hinde stream crosses the main road. The path heads south west right up the slope for one km until it forks. Take the southern fork. In spring this southern fork is marked, but not in the summer. About ½ km after the fork you reach another stream, the Vesl-Hind, on the south side of the path. Continue through the scrub vegetation along its north bank for another 1 ½ km until two small becks tumble down into the stream.

Cross each of these becks and continue up on the north side of the Vesl-Hinde, now no more than a beck itself, for five km in a westerly direction up a gentle slope covered in short vegetation and only occasional scrubs. During the winter this route is marked for three km. The winter markings continue further as they veer to the north, but you must not follow them and continue west instead. As you reach the top of the slope, the great amphitheatre of Hindholet comes into view with it semi-circle of cliffs. Head towards this amphitheatre. The gradient now eases further as you enter a flat area with a tarn in the middle of it. This tarn is marked as 1676m on the map.

Pass to the north of the tarn 1676m and head north west to the scree covered ridge that descends down from Stornubben. Before you reach a collection of other tarns start to head up the ridge continuing in a north west direction. The ascent up the ridge is not steep but is sustained and the terrain of boulders and scree means that it takes well over an hour to reach the summit from the lakes. It is only in the last metres that the awesome vista to the south and west comes into view.

The return is by the same route. In the spring the descent down the ridge is quite steep in sections and parts of it may only have a thin cover of snow. However, from the lakes down it is a easy and pleasant run.

It is also possible to continue north east over to the peak of Austnubben via the east ridge of Veslenubben. From Austnubben it is possible to descend down the east ridge to the flat Hindflyin plateau. Once on the plateau follow the Stor-Hinde stream back down to Hindseter. Another descend possibility is to head south west from Stornubben to Nautgardstind and return to Heimsand, via Russdalen, by following the reverse of the alternative route described on the Nautgardstind page.